
A Joyful Rhapsody in Red an Unexpected Finish: The Vineyards:
The cast of characters for our blend are gathered together from our Estate
Vineyards’ high in the western side of the Mayacamas Mountains. The rich
volcanic soils and high elevations of our Cavedale Road Vineyard impart
power and dimension to our Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. The
main character of this ensemble is the Sarah which is grown at a 2000 foot
elevation in our Trinity Ranch block (known for loamy soil conditions).
This gives our Sarah grapes a rich earthiness that balances the jazzy
Cavedale Road fruit. The result is a joyous rhapsody that will ring
harmoniously on the palate.
Winemaking Techniques:
For optimum flavor, we delicately hand-harvested the grapes from low
yielding vines in the cool early mornings. Wasting no time, the fruit was
brought straight back to the winery to be destemmed, crushed and transferred
immediately stainless steel tanks. Some portions were cold soaked before
the warm fermentation in the tanks; this was followed by an extended
maceration of between four and six weeks. The wine is then pressed to 100%
French oak barrels (composed of almost entirely used wood) and left to
mature for 18 months before being selected for the Rosso blend
Tasting Notes:
Sweet ripe blackberry, black cherry, fruit cake spices, vanilla, caramel
and floral notes flood the senses with a hint of citrus zest and cedar in
the background. The ripe flavors are balanced nicely with tangy acidity and
subdued tannins keep this wine dense, fresh and easy to drink.
Variety: Syrah 75%, Sangiovese 20%, Cabernet Sauvignon
5%
Appellation: Sonoma Valley
Aging: 18 months in almost all used French Oak
Alcohol: 15.5%